Welcome...

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

with silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" -Emma Lazarus (The New Colossus)

I have fabulous news. My friend Dee Dee, the one I told you about in an earlier post, passed her exam to become a citizen of the United States of America. It was her second attempt.

She went to Tampa, Florida and arrived approximately 30 minutes early. A security person opened the door and checked her paper work, allowed DeeDee and her husband, Earl, to enter and told them to have a seat. Two and a half hours later Earl went to a security person and asked him if it is normal to be sitting that long. What Earl did not mention is that she had a urinary tract infection and was afraid to go to the bathroom for fear that she would not be there when she was called. The security person asked if they had turned in the paperwork and Earl responded that they were told to have a seat, not to turn in paperwork. The paperwork was immediately turned in after that brief conversation and she was quickly called. The examiner, whose name I do not know, told DeeDee that because of her, she (the examiner) would miss lunch. My friend is already a nervous Nelly, this only made it worse. The examiner was short with DeeDee and rude. She spoke in an accusatory tone and scared the crap out of my friend. DeeDee failed the test. She knew all of the answers and when she came to my home the next day I ran out to meet her and hear the great news and she cried when she saw my face. We cried together. It took a tremendous amount of courage for her to apply for citizenship. For some people this would be no big deal, not for DeeDee. She is unpretentious, honest, loyal, and hardworking, all of the qualities that we should desire in immigrants. She is also insecure and despite studying EVERY single day for more than half a year, she was afraid of how she would do.

Her second attempt was far different. She arrived early again and was allowed to enter with her husband. The paperwork was turned in right away and she was hardly sitting when her name was called. The examiner introduced himself and led her to his office and when he saw her shaking, asked her repeatedly to calm down, assuring her that everything would be fine and that she had nothing to be nervous about. He first made sure that all of her documentation was in place and correct. Then he told her that he would ask her six questions and reminded her that she had nothing to be afraid of because she knew the answers to them all. She did not tell me all of the questions she had been asked, but the first one was, "Who is John G Roberts?" I mention this to you in case you thought he was going to ask what the colors are in our flag or who was the first president or something equally easy. After answering the final question correctly he congratulated her. What a different experience for her the second time around. I had been at a meeting with my phone ringer off. As soon as I left the meeting I checked my phone (my kids were all home and they usually call me twenty times), there was a call from her. I quickly returned her call and she shared the wonderful news with me. I saw her the next day and that time we shared tears of joy. She may be sworn in as early as next week, but at the latest, next month. Congratulations, DeeDee.